This invention pertains to the field of self-service processes, systems, and applications.
In some aspects, the present invention is directed to a system and method for self service, call routing, and intelligent transition from self service to agent-assisted service.
In other aspects, the present invention is directed to a system and method for identifying a caller via a voice (e.g. telephone) and/or video call connection, and matching the caller to a web interaction or “user session” involving the caller. More particularly, in these other aspects the present invention may comprise an arrangement which may utilize web components, a server, and unique agent contact numbers (e.g., one or more telephone numbers, one or more uniform resource locators (URLs), and/or one or more session initiation protocol numbers (SIPs)) to uniquely identify and match a user's web interaction with their voice and/or video interaction with a human agent.
Automated telephone-based customer support systems, such as auto attendant (AA) systems, (which may also be referred to as automated attendant systems, virtual receptionist systems, interactive voice response (IVR) systems, AA/IVR systems, and other names) have evolved from relatively simple devices to more complex computerized systems for handling calls pertaining to a variety of issues. Modern AA systems can often allow a caller to resolve an issue through self service, without the need for a human agent to provide agent-assisted service. And in cases where agent-assisted service is required to address a caller's issue, an AA system may facilitate connecting the caller to the appropriate agent for resolving the issue.
For example, an AA system may automatically answer a telephone call from a caller, play a standard message to the caller, and then await a response from the caller. In some AA systems, this response may come in the form of the caller depressing a particular telephone key, which often generates a standardized set of tones called Dual-tone multi-frequency tones (DTMF), and/or in the form of voice input for more sophisticated voice recognition systems. Based on the caller response, the system may process the incoming call appropriately to resolve one or more issues which prompted the caller to place the call.
Auto attendant systems often have a complex menu structure, via which an incoming caller may, for example, proceed through a complex decision tree, being presented with a series of recorded voice prompts (or generated voice prompts utilizing Text-To-Speech) and providing corresponding responses, in order to connect the incoming caller with a particular person, departmental function, or information to resolve the incoming caller's issue(s). Some AA systems operate using voice communication over traditional Public Switched Telephone Networks (PSTN), wireless radio infrastructure, and/or voice-over-IP technologies.
Many commercial owners or users of AA systems also operate websites which can provide additional information to a customer, and in this case, one or more voice prompts which are provided by the auto attendant system may encourage incoming callers to stop using the telephone-based AA system, and instead to switch to using a web browser to engage in a self service operation with a computer-based customer support system.
However, callers to an organization's telephone-based auto attendant system may experience frustration with unsuccessful IVR interactions or encounter long wait times during peak call periods. Computer-based customer support systems may provide (e.g., via a network) a broader range of automated information and with little or no wait times where a customer seeks a resolution to the customer's issue during a self service session. However, if the computer-based customer support system fails to allow the customer to resolve an issue, the customer may still need to speak with a customer service agent to resolve the issue.
Furthermore, if a user engages in a user session with a website (e.g., a self service session with a self service application hosted by the website) before it is determined that agent-assisted service is to be performed, it would be desirable to convey to the human agent user data generated during the user session (“user session data”), including for example, a history of the nodes of a decision tree which were traversed during the interaction of the user with a self service application. In that case, it would further be desirable to be able to uniquely identify and match a user's web interaction with that user's voice and/or video interaction with a human agent.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a system and method which supports self service, and which can facilitate and streamline the operation of a subsequent agent-assisted service session with a human agent, for example via telephony, web chat, web-based video, etc.
The present invention comprises a system and method for identifying a caller via a voice (e.g. telephone) and/or video call connection, and matching the caller to a web interaction or “user session” involving the caller.
In one aspect of the invention, a method of associating a particular user interaction with an access number, method comprises: determining that an agent-assisted service session should be initiated between the user and a human agent after the user has initiated a user session via a website, wherein the user session produces user session data that is stored in one or more memory devices; generating one or more temporary agent access numbers through which a communication channel may be established between a user and a human agent for the agent-initiated session; communicating a selected one or more of the temporary agent access numbers to the user in response to the determination that an agent-assisted service session should be initiated; establishing a communication channel between the user and the human agent via a particular agent access number among the selected one or more temporary agent access numbers, the communication channel being used for the agent-assisted session; associating the user session data with the agent-assisted session; and communicating the user session data to the human agent in conjunction with the agent-assisted session.
In another aspect of the invention, a non-transitory data storage medium has stored thereon instructions for causing one or more processors to execute a process. The process comprises: determining that an agent-assisted service session should be initiated between the user and a human agent after the user has initiated a user session via a website, wherein the user session produces user session data that is stored in one or more memory devices; generating one or more temporary agent access numbers through which a communication channel may be established between a user and a human agent for the agent-initiated session; communicating a selected one or more of the temporary agent access numbers to the user in response to the determination that an agent-assisted service session should be initiated; establishing a communication channel between the user and the human agent via a particular agent access number among the selected one or more temporary agent access numbers, the communication channel being used for the agent-assisted session; associating the user session data with the agent-assisted session; and communicating the user session data to the human agent in conjunction with the agent-assisted session.